Population dynamics and human strategies in Northwestern Patagonia: a view from Salamanca Cave (Mendoza, Argentina)

In this paper we evaluate the role of human strategies in the Andean Piedmont from northern Patagonia across the Holocene. Specifically, we present the analysis of the Early Holocene Late Holocene archaeological record of Salamanca cave (Mendoza-Argentina). We identified technological changes that o...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Neme, Gustavo Adolfo, Zárate, Marcelo Arístides, Pompei, María de la Paz, Franchetti, Fernando Ricardo, Gil, Adolfo Fabian, Giardina, Miguel Angel, Seitz, Viviana Paola, Salgán, María Laura, Abbona, Cinthia Carolina, Fernández, Fernando Julián
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Estado:Versión publicada
Fecha de publicación:2021
País:Argentina
Institución:Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas
Repositorio:CONICET Digital (CONICET)
Idioma:inglés
OAI Identifier:oai:ri.conicet.gov.ar:11336/161425
Acceso en línea:http://hdl.handle.net/11336/161425
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:hunter-gatherers
Northern Patagonia
mid Holocene
late Holocene intensification
Southern Mendoza
https://purl.org/becyt/ford/6.1
https://purl.org/becyt/ford/6
Descripción
Sumario:In this paper we evaluate the role of human strategies in the Andean Piedmont from northern Patagonia across the Holocene. Specifically, we present the analysis of the Early Holocene Late Holocene archaeological record of Salamanca cave (Mendoza-Argentina). We identified technological changes that occurred during the Late Holocene and the implications of a human occupation hiatus in the Middle Holocene. We follow a multiproxy approach by the analysis of radiocarbon dates, archaeofaunal remains, ceramic, lithics and XRF obsidian sourcing. We also discuss a detailed stratigraphic sequence by geomorphological descriptions, the construction of a radiocarbon sequence model and summed probability distributions, compared with other archaeological sites in the region. We conclude that after the Middle Holocene archaeological hiatus, human populations grew while guanaco populations dropped. The imbalance between demography and resources boosted the incorporation of new technologies such as ceramics and the bow and arrow, allowing people to exploit lower-ranked resources.